Poultry drinking-fountain.



P. W. RUGGLES.

POULTRY DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

APPLIOATION FILED KAY 13, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.-

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FREDERICK W. RUGGLES, 0F HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS.

POULTRY DRINKING-FOUNTAIN.

Application ined May 13, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14;, 1911.

Serial No. 561,226.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W'. RUG- oLEs, of Hudson, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Poultry Drinking-Fountains, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved drinking fountain forpoultry, and consists in the provision of means whereby the pan may beyieldingly maintained in place against the reservoir.

Ot' the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a poultry drinking tountain,constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional View on lines 2 2 ot Fig. 1, showing the apertures providedt'or the escape ot' the .water from the fountain into the pan, showingthe instrumentalities provided for positioning the bottom of thereservoir in the bottom of the pan. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thefountain inverted, showing the pan slid to one side in a position to betipped or swung' oit' the end of the reservoir. Fig. l is a view similarto Fig. 3, showing the pan swung clear from the reservoir, and thelatter in position to be filled.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all ot theiigures.

l represents a reservoir composed of sheet metal, or any suitablematerial. As shown, said reservoir is rect-angular in cross section andprovided with a top 2, the opposite end of the reservoir being open.

3 represents an 4ear secured to one side of the reservoir, by which thewhole apparatus may be suspended on a nail or hook.

4L represents a handle secured to the top of the reservoir, by which thefountain may be carried around. The sides of the reservoir near thebottom, are formed with holes 5, there being two of such holes shown,although the precise number is not material. The position of the holesabove the bottom of the reservoir is important, since it prevents theirbeing clogged by sediment on the bottom of the pan 6. This pan, asshown, is rectangular in sha e, and formed with two ribs or shoulders 7,2, spaced apart a sutlicient distance to permit the open end of thereservoir 1 to rest between them. These ribs also serve to strengthenthe bottom of the pan. As shown, these ribs are located to position thereservoir in the middle of the pan, leaving an open space 8, 8, on eachside of the reservoir, adapted to receive and hold the .water iiowingthrough the holes 5, said open spaces constituting, in effect,independent troughs from which the poultry can drink the water. Thebottom of the pan is of greater' area than the open end of thereservoir, so that a portion of the pan projects from the reservoir toform a drinking trough, or, as here shown, two troughs external to thereservoir. The reservoir 1 near its top on each side is provided with anear 9, and the pan in like manner, on each side is provided with an ear10.

11 represents a wire, there being one on each side of the apparatus.This wire is bent, as shown, between its ends, to form a spring, one endof each wire being connected to an ear 9, and the opposite end to theear 10.

The construction is such that when the parts are in the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the spring is of suiiicient strength to maintain thepan against the bottom of the reservoir, when the latter is held by thehandle 'l, or by the ear 3. Vhen, however, it is desired to remove thepan :trom the reservoir for the purpose of filling the reservoir, or forany purpose. the yielding of the spring arms 12, 12, is sutlicient topermit the pan to be swung oit from the end of the reservoir, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, the wires or rods acting as a spring hinge in thisparticular. After the reservoir is lled, the pan can be put in properposition on the end of the reservoir by a reverse motion, until the ribs7 engage either side of the reservoir,

when the apparatus can be inverted, the parts 11, in the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2, holding the pan in place against the open end of thereservoir.

It will be seen that the wires 11, formed to constitute springs orresilient links, and flexibly connected both with the reservoir and thepan, are adapted to yieldingly hold the open end of the reservoiragainst the bottom of the pan, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, not only forthe purpose of maintaining the pan against the bottom of the reservoir,but also to permit the reservoir to separate to a limited extent fromthe pan, so that in case water in the reservoir freezes the said wiresyield and prevent liability o breakage of the connections between theres ervoir and pan. Each wire or link 11, as

here shown, is bent to form S shaped or reversely curved end portionsand a straight intermediate portion connecting said end portions, saidportions being all in the same plane. This form gives the wiressufficient resilience to permit the forcible separation of the pan fromthe reservoir and `at the same time suliicient stiifness to prevent suchseparation by the weight of the fountain and its contents when it isbeing carried about or suspended. The sholders 7, on the bottom of thepan constitute means for en gaging the reservoir and preventing it fromslipping sidewise.

As shown in the drawings,`two of the opposite sides of the pan bearagainst two cor responding sides of the reservoir, while the other twosides of the pan project from the adjacent sides of the reservoir asuflicient distance to form external drinking troughs. r)The pan istherefore adapted to be moved endwise on the mouth of the reservoir fromthe position shown by Figs. l and 2 to that shown by Fig. 3, so that itmay be coiiveniently tipped or swung off from the reservoir as shown byFig. 4. rihe operation of separating the pan from the' reservoir isfacilitated by the endwise movability of the pan, the pan, when inposition shown in Fig. 3 being adapted to be readily displaced bypressing downwardly on its projecting end which acts as a lever.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a way ofconstructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forthall of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the niodes of itsuse, what il claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. Adrinking fountain comprising a reservoir open at one end, an elongatedpan, means for yieldingly holding said pan in contact with the open endof said reservoir to form a closure for the latter, the ends of the panprojecting a sufficient dist-ance beyond the plane of the contiguouswalls of said reservoir to form drinking troughs, said holding meansbeing constructed to normally prevent movement of said pan in a 2. Adrinking fountain comprising a res- Y eivoir open at one end, anelongated pan, and means for yieldingly holding said pan in contact withthe open end of said reservoir to form a closure for the latter, theends of the pan projecting a sufficient distance beyond the plane of thecontiguous wallsl of said reservoir to form drinking troughs, saidholding means being constructed to normally prevent movement of said panin a direction longitudinally of the reservoir, and to permit slidingmovement of the pan transversely of the reservoir, said pan beingprovided with ribs for engaging said reservoir to normally prevent saidtransverse movement, the projecting ends of said nan constitutinglevers, whereby the pan may be displaced against the tension'of saidholding means.

3. A drinking fountain comprising a pan, a reservoir formed with an openend adapted to be seated on the bottom of the pan, and bent wire linksflexibly connected with the reservoir and pan, and each having reverselycurved end portions and a straight intermediate portion.

ln testimony whereof I have afixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

riinnnnrcir w. Russians.

Witnesses H. L. ROBBINS, P. W. Pnzzn'rrr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

